Welcome to the Skull Session.
I had some fun with the Rapid Fire Skull Session on Friday. Let’s run it back after a jam-packed weekend with the Ohio State spring game and some other storylines important to Buckeye Nation.
Have a good Monday.
ALL THE LITTLE THINGS. I’ve had some bizarre sports stories in the Skull Session before. Here’s another.
In an appearance on The John Schneider Show, Seattle Seahawks director of equipment Erik Kennedy said Jaxon Smith-Njigba set Ohio State records in what were essentially clown shoes. He didn’t use that phrase, but it’s hard not to read between the lines.
“You’re always trying to find different edges that can help players,” Kennedy said. “In college, he was wearing a size 12, had hamstring issues and things like that. Gets here, he’s a 10.5.”
That detail hits a little harder in hindsight… though there is some doubt the story is actually true…
Straight up BS story.
— Anthony Schlegel (@schlegelvellie) April 17, 2026
In 2022, JSN left Ohio State’s Week 1 win over Notre Dame with what was later revealed to be a hamstring injury. He returned briefly on a pitch count against Toledo and Iowa but ultimately missed the rest of the season.
#Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba used to wear size 12 cleats in college and dealt with hamstring issues, per Director of Equipment Erik Kennedy.
Seattle got him down to a size 10 using foot scanningand he hasnt had the issue since.
Were always trying to find little edges to pic.twitter.com/b3VlXNlJoy
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 17, 2026
His absence loomed large. It’s fair to debate whether he would’ve been enough to overcome Michigan — read: Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing operation — but it’s much easier to picture him as the difference-maker against Georgia. Ohio State’s offense was humming in that Peach Bowl until Marvin Harrison Jr. was knocked out in the end zone.
All told, JSN missed 10 games in his final season, a stark contrast to the year before, when he racked up 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. As a junior, he finished with just five receptions for 45 yards.
Kennedy noted that Smith-Njigba hasn’t missed a game in three seasons with Seattle, suggesting the team’s scanning technology — and a better fit in his cleats — has played a role.
“It’s helped him,” Kennedy said.
Availability is the best ability. And when you have it, you can turn 119 receptions, a league-leading 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns into Offensive Player of the Year honors and a Super Bowl MVP by Year 3.
“HE’S AN EXCITING PLAYER.” While we’re on JSN, he returned to Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ Victory Bell Ringer for Saturday’s spring game. As the offense and defense went back and forth along the Olentangy, Big Ten Network caught up with him to talk about the program’s next standout receiver, Jeremiah Smith.
Hes an exciting player, hes a winner, and its gonna be great to see him flourish.
Former @OhioStateFB WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Jeremiah Smith
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/iz4ICzHewj
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 18, 2026
“I wouldn’t say I’m a mentor, but he knows anything he needs he can always call or text,” Smith-Njigba said. “We definitely get together and talk some ball. I’m just super proud of him and how he’s pushing the bar even further than what we did. It’s exciting times — really exciting times here. He’s an exciting player. He’s a winner. It’s gonna be great to see him flourish.”
Real recognize real.
PITCH A TENT. Truth be told, Jeremiah Smith isn’t the next great Ohio State wide receiver — he’s already there. And he’ll keep building on that this season. If we’re talking “next next,” that title might belong to Chris Henry Jr., who flashed in the spring game with four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Eleven Warriors editor Dan Hope broke down Henry’s performance and what it could mean for Ohio State moving forward — well worth your time if you want the full picture on the five-star. But I’d be remiss not to highlight this gem from offensive lineman Deontae Armstrong after Tavien St. Clair’s touchdown strike to Henry in the first half:
Could read a harry potter book back there https://t.co/MBLRATyUX6
— Deontae Armstrong (@DeonArmstrong30) April 18, 2026
You sure could read a Harry Potter book back there — probably Order of the Phoenix, all 257,045 words and 800-plus pages of it. If the offensive line gives quarterbacks that kind of time this fall, Ohio State will be a problem.
ROUND UP FOR… NIL? Ohio State fans buying a hot dog and a Coke at the Shoe had another decision to make at checkout Saturday — whether to round up their total for NIL.
At the Shoe, concessions vendors are offering a round up to donate option that goes to Ohio States NIL fund
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) April 18, 2026
Concession vendors inside Ohio Stadium introduced a “round up to donate” option, with the extra change going directly to Ohio State’s NIL fund. It’s a small ask on the surface, but across 100,000-plus fans, it could add up quickly.
Welcome to college football in 2026, where your game-day snacks can double as recruiting contributions.
RIP, LITTLE BAR. Ohio State’s pregame and postgame atmosphere felt a little less lively on Saturday after The Little Bar was torn down to make way for a new high-rise apartment project by Austin-based developer American Campus Communities.
Though The Little Bar poured its final beer on March 29, this may not be the end for the beloved campus staple. Too’s Spirits Under High closed in 2017 before planning its return to campus this August, while the Bier Stube shuttered in 2024 and is set to reopen at a new location on King Avenue. Perhaps The Little Bar can follow a similar path.
GET MORE 11W. Whether it’s a deep dive into spring practice or a feature on Ohio State’s most interesting players, Eleven Warriors is your premier destination for Ohio State sports news.
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To set this up for yourself, you can click this direct link, which takes you straight to the preference page. By confirming Eleven Warriors as a preferred source, you are telling the Google algorithm to highlight our stories whenever you search for news. It’s a quick, one-time adjustment that ensures you never miss a beat from the 11W team.
NEW DUBCAST AT 8 A.M. ET ON YOUTUBE. The first Eleven Dubcast of the week recaps the Ohio State spring game, explores positives and negatives from the afternoon and ponders if the Buckeyes could beat the Columbus Aviators head-to-head.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Kilby Girl” – The Backseat Lovers.
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